Key Takeaways:
- Manchester City progressed to the Carabao Cup semifinals after a 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Etihad Stadium
- Rayan Cherki scored in the 32nd minute, while Savinho added a second via a deflected strike in the 67th minute
- Pep Guardiola’s side achieved their sixth consecutive win across all competitions, while Brentford extended their winless streak to four matches
City Extend Unbeaten Run and Join Chelsea in the Semifinals
Manchester City joined Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semifinals following their controlled 2-0 win against Brentford in the quarterfinal fixture at the Etihad Stadium. Josep Guardiola’s men did not appear to exert themselves to the maximum, yet still prevailed courtesy of a superb goal from Rayan Cherki in the 32nd minute and a fortuitous, deflected effort by Savinho in the 67th minute. The Citizens’ victory marked their sixth on the spin in all competitions, further underlining their fine form. In contrast, Brentford are now without a win in their last four outings.
🚀 @rayan_cherki's stunner is today's #HighSpeedMoment ⚡️
🤝 @eAndGroup pic.twitter.com/Tux9heFQJQ
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 17, 2025
Significant Team Rotations and Notable Absentees
Guardiola made seven changes from the side that took on Crystal Palace at the weekend, retaining only Nico O’Reilly, Tijjani Reijnders, Nico Gonzalez, and Rayan Cherki in his starting eleven. James Trafford was selected in goal, while 18-year-old Divine Mukasa spearheaded the attack. Among those on the substitutes’ bench were Donnarumma, Dias, Gvardiol, Silva, Nunes, Foden, and Haaland.
Meanwhile, Brentford’s lineup featured six changes, with neither Jordan Henderson nor Igor Thiago included in the squad. Van den Berg, Collins, Kayode, Jensen, and Janelt all retained their starting roles. Kevin Schade returned from suspension and Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson started between the posts. Both Dango Ouattara and Frank Onyeka were unavailable due to Africa Cup of Nations commitments with their respective national teams.
| Team | Score | Goal Scorers |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | 2 | Cherki (32′), Savinho (67′) |
| Brentford | 0 | – |
Key Moments and Match Flow
The match began with efforts from Cherki and Bobb, the former sending his effort wide and the latter forcing a save. Brentford threatened early as well. The first contentious moment arrived in the 16th minute when Schade broke through and was fouled by Khusanov just outside the area. Brentford protested, claiming a clear denial of a goalscoring opportunity, but Khusanov only received a yellow card. The incident would likely have resulted in a dismissal had VAR been available.
Two minutes later, Oscar was forced off with an injury, prompting Foden’s introduction. Cherki continued to threaten and was rewarded just after the half-hour mark. Following a Mukasa corner, Schade cleared with a header, only for the ball to fall to Cherki on the edge of the box. The Frenchman deftly controlled, escaped Damsgaard’s challenge, and fired into the top right corner for an impressive finish.
Brentford had promising spells at both the start and end of the first half but managed only one effort on target before the break. That opportunity came from Jensen’s well-struck free-kick awarded for Khusanov’s earlier foul, though Trafford produced a solid save. Early in the second period, Ajer tested Trafford again with a long-range drive in the 54th minute, only for the City goalkeeper to save.
Savinho’s Deflected Strike Secures Victory
Valdimarsson parried a volley from Foden, but Manchester City doubled their advantage in the 67th minute. Foden’s incisive pass released Savinho, who cut in from the left and fired goalward. Ajer lunged in an attempt to block, but the ball took a significant deflection off him, lifting it over Brentford’s goalkeeper and into the far corner.
The hosts continued to dictate the tempo for the remainder of the game, although they were unable to add to their tally. Notably, Foden, himself a substitute following Bobb’s injury, was later replaced by Gray in the 82nd minute.
